Once again, it is the season for wildfires in California.  There have already been more than two thousand wildfires in various parts of the state.  The most recent ones are located near Santa Clara and the Silicon Valley area just south of San Francisco.

The Coastal Mountains of California are not as high as the grand cordillera of the Sierra Nevada peaks to the east.  Along most of the long coastline of the state, they rise like high barren hills covered in grass and low shrubbery with but a few scattered trees.  Only the highest peaks and the deep furrows of the canyons receive enough year-round moisture to support forests.  Increasingly, they are also adorned with expensive homes built by suburbanites seeking the choice views from the mountaintops or the arboreal splendor of the canyons.

During the winter months when most of the precepitation falls, these coastal hills are green with lush new growth.  Every summer, the hills turn brown as the grasses and shrubbery become dormant.  During particularly dry periods, the dessicated vegitation turns into dry tinder.  A single spark from a discarded cigarette or a careless campfire can create an inferno that races up mountain sides and into the canyons.  It wreaks havoc on the expenive homes built there.

Fortunately, these fires seldom affect the cities or the major tourist attractions.  It is relatively easy for a visitor to avoid any areas of wildfire.  On the other hand, an uncontrolled wildfire can create a pallor of smoke that affects a large area for many miles from the actual fire.  They can make your stay at the beach or your visit to an attraction rather unpleasant.  If you are planning a trip to California, it is good to check the local news sources for information about wildfires.  You may decide to change your itinerary or your route based on the location of wildfires.